Knitted-in-band

ABSTRACT

A knitted-in band for terminating a raw edge of footless pantyhose has a stretch factor and a thickness for the leg band and a stretch factor and a thickness for the leg portion. The stretch factor of the leg band is approximately equal to the stretch factor of the leg portion and the thickness of the leg band is approximately equal to the thickness of the leg portion.

PRIORITY

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/195,829 titled “Footless Pantyhose Underwear”, which was filed Oct. 10, 2008, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/204,748 titled “Footless Pantyhose Underwear with Elastic”, which was filed Jan. 9, 2009, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/209,852 titled “Non-control Shapewear”, which was filed Mar. 11, 2009, and the subject matter of all three applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to concurrently filed U.S. patent applications titled:

“Footless Pantyhose Undergarment” application Ser. No. 12/587,619,

“Footless Non-control Pantyhose Undergarment” application Ser. No. 12/587,620,

“Footless Non-control Pantyhose Undergarment with Modified Leg Bands” application Ser. No. 12/587,595,

“Footless reinforced Pantyhose Undergarment with Modified Leg Bands” application Ser. No. 12/587,647,

“Footless Pantyhose Undergarment with Two-Ply Legs” application Ser. No. 12/587,655, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a footless pantyhose undergarment, in particular to non-control undergarments or shapewear and modified reinforced undergarments or shapwear made of pantyhose material.

For years women have been concerned about visible panty lines when wearing tight clothing such as pants or clothing with delicate fabrics such as silk. There have been numerous attempts to resolve this problem, but each has its own disadvantages.

Typically designers assume that every woman wants to slim down and therefore, they use a great amount of elastic in the knitting process to create control top shapewear and place a substantial amount of pressure on the body to sculpt it. However, sculpting creates a high level of discomfort. For occasional use tight undergarments or shapewear serve a purpose, but for working women who need to wear these types of undergarments for a long period of time like ten hours or more on daily basis, tight undergarments are not practical.

Pantyhose are typically made of a panty portion integrally knitted to two leg portions and each portion is knitted with a body yarn such as stretch nylon or textured nylon. The body yarn in the panty portion usually has a higher denier than the one used in the leg portions to create opacity in the panty portion. Typically the body yarn of the panty portion is 40-80 denier nylon and the body yarn of the legs is 20-40 denier nylon. A body yarn is the main yarn used to knit the pantyhose.

In control top pantyhose, a high denier elastic yarn, such as 70 or higher denier spandex, is coupled with the body yarn of the panty portion to create reinforcement and place compressive force onto the body for the purpose of sculpting and/or smoothing. Typically, the elastic yarn is used in every other course. However other variations have also been used. The leg portions either have an elastic yarn with a denier less than the one used in the panty portion, such as 10-30 denier spandex, or they are made of just the body yarn with out any additional elastic yarn.

In contrast to the control top pantyhose, footless pantyhose undergarment or shapwear may have even higher denier elastic yarns, such as 100 denier or higher in the panty and leg portions. The footless pantyhose or shapewear are also very thick which do not allow the body to easily breathe.

In addition, the single ply shapewear have leg bands which are made similar to the waistbands and have an elastic yarn with a high denier such as 150 denier spandex coupled to the body yarn during the knitting. The high denier spandex causes the waistband and the pantyhose to stay in place while the wearer moves.

However, the leg bands do not need such an excessive amount of elastic yarns. The conventional leg bands made with high elastic yarns, such as 150 denier spandex, cause a lot of discomfort and may also cause blood circulation problems. In addition, the compressive force causes an indentation in the leg which is not desirable when worn with tight clothing. They also are usually thicker than the rest of the leg portion because they have two layers and therefore do not allow the body to easily breathe and cause an uneven look.

Therefore, there is a need for a comfortable footless pantyhose undergarment or shapewear to eliminate the panty line without placing excessive pressure on the wearer's body.

In addition, there is also a need for comfortable leg bands that do not place excessive pressure on the legs which could be used for both control and non-control footless pantyhose undergarments.

Furthermore, there is a need for a thinner footless pantyhose undergarment or shapwear and thinner leg bands to allow the body to breathe easier and look even with the leg portion.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The present invention provides a knitted-in band for terminating a raw edge of a footless pantyhose leg. The knitted-in leg band has two layers which together create a stretch factor for the leg band. The leg portion of the footless pantyhose also has a stretch factor. The stretch factor of the leg band of the present invention is approximately equal to the stretch factor of the leg portion which substantially reduces the indentations created by the leg bands.

The present invention provides a knitted-in band for terminating a raw edge of a footless pantyhose leg. The knitted-in leg band has two layers which together create a thickness for the leg band. The leg portion of the footless pantyhose also has a thickness. The thickness of the leg band of the present invention is approximately equal to the thickness of the leg portion which provides an even look between the leg band and the leg portion.

In addition, the present invention provides a comfortable leg band where the denier of the elastic in each layer of the leg band is equal or less than the denier of the elastic yarn in the leg portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG

FIG. 1 illustrates the footless pantyhose undergarment of the present invention in accordance with one embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates the footless pantyhose undergarment of the present invention in accordance with an alternative embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a knitted-in band of the present invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates the footless pantyhose undergarment of FIG. 1 in combination with the knitted-in leg band of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 illustrates the footless pantyhose undergarment of FIG. 2 in combination with the knitted-in leg band of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 illustrates a footless reinforced pantyhose undergarment in combination with the knitted-in leg band of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 illustrates the footless pantyhose undergarment of the present invention with two-ply legs.

FIG. 8 illustrates two tubular pantyhose undergarment blanks used to create the footless pantyhose undergarment of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a representation of different embodiments of this invention showing different possibilities for the placement of their waistband and leg bands.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a footless pantyhose undergarment or shapewear 10 of the present invention. The panty portion 12 covers the abdomen and the buttocks of the wearer and two leg portions 14 and 16 cover the legs. The panty portion 12 ends at a waist terminating portion 18, hereinafter referred to as waistband 18. The leg portions 14 and 16 end at their respective leg terminating portions 20, hereinafter referred to as leg bands 20. Each leg band is made of a two-ply knitted in band. However, the waistband 18 and leg bands 20 can be elastic bands, knitted-in welts, knitted-in bands, or can use any other knitting process which can create a terminating edge. Furthermore, the leg portions 14 and 16 are seamlessly knitted to the panty portion 12 along the line 21.

It should be noted that, unlike fashion hosiery, the footless pantyhose undergarment or shapewear discussed in this specification is strictly used as an undergarment and is not visible to the public. Furthermore, in this specification, “shapewear”, “footless pantyhose undergarment”, “footless pantyhose”, “pantyhose undergarment”, or “undergarment” have all been used interchangeably.

The footless pantyhose undergarment 10 is made with circular knitting process, which would create seamless legs 14 and 16 attached seamlessly to their corresponding panty segments 12 a and 12 b. Then the tubular panty segments 12 a and 12 b are slit and attached to each other along the line 23 which extends from the front of waistband 18 down to the crotch and then up to the waist band 18. Alternatively, the crotch section 19 can be made as a separate piece from a cotton yarn or with a cotton lining to eliminate the need for wearing a panty. However, the crotch section 19 may or may not be included.

It should be noted that the footless pantyhose undergarment 10 is made with circular knitting process, but any other type of knitting process, such as flat-bed knitting process, can also be used.

The panty portion 12 and the leg portions 14 and 16 of this invention are made of a stretch yarns, such as nylon to provide a relatively small amount of compressive force against the body of the wearer. In other words, the panty portion 12 and the leg portions 14 and 16 are made entirely with a stretch yarn without the use of elastic yarns.

The footless pantyhose undergarment 10 of this invention has a stretch nylon with a denier of 80 or less. However for a thinner footless pantyhose undergarment 10, a stretch nylon with a denier of 60 or less should be used.

Stretch yams such as nylon, stretch and recover, but can't create a great amount of compressive force. In contrast, elastic yarns stretch and recover, but in higher deniers such as 70 denier or more, can place a great amount of compressive force on the body. Conventional shapewear and control top pantyhose have high denier elastic to create a sculpting compressive force. Since this embodiment does not use any elastic yarn in the panty and the leg portions 12, 14, and 16, therefore, the footless pantyhose undergarment 10 is non-control. Furthermore, the two-ply leg bands 20 are also made entirely with a stretch yarn such as stretch nylon without the use of elastic yarns. Since the leg bands do not have elastic yarns, the cross stitch can be tightened to cause the leg band to stay in place.

In this specification stretch yarns are defined as any yarn that can stretch excluding the elastic yarns.

The waistband 18 is a knitted-in welt or knitted-in band made of a body yarn, such as nylon, coupled with an elastic yarn, such as 120 or higher denier spandex, during the knitting. The high denier spandex causes the waistband and the pantyhose to stay in place while the wearer moves. If one desires, an elastic band can be used for the waistband 18 or the leg bands 20 or for both the waistband 18 and leg bands 20.

The panty 12 and the legs 14 and 16 can be made with different denier nylon yarns to incorporate different thickness such as an opaque panty and sheer legs or visa versa. They can also be made with different stitch patterns. Alternatively, the panty 12 and the legs 14 and 16 can be made with the same yarns and stitch patterns. As a result, the panty portion extends into the leg portions with the same thickness without any transition line. This would create a uniform thickness and look for the panty 12 and the leg portions 14 and 16. Furthermore, the panty portion 12 and the leg portions 14 and 16 can be made to be all sheer or all opaque and can be knitted with any stitch pattern.

The present invention substantially reduces the compressive force placed on the body by the conventional footless pantyhose and provides a comfortable solution to eliminate panty lines.

It should be noted that the footless pantyhose undergarment 10 can also be made with the leg band 60 which is described in detail in reference to FIG. 3 and the combination of the footless pantyhose 10 with the leg band 60 is shown as footless pantyhose 10′ in FIG. 4. The leg band 60, shown in FIG. 3, has elastic yarns to provide a clinging effect to the leg band to keep it in place. The footless pantyhose undergarment 10 can be combined with either the comfort leg band 60 to provide more comfort or can be combined with grip and comfort leg band 60 to provide a more snug fit with comfort.

Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown an alternative embodiment of the footless pantyhose undergarment 40 of this invention. The panty portion 42, which is seamlessly connected to the leg portions 44 and 46, ends at a waistband 48. Each leg portion 44 and 46 ends at one of the leg bands 50. The waistband 48 and leg bands 50 can be elastic bands, knitted-in welts, knitted-in bands, or can use any other knitting process which can create a terminating edge. Furthermore, the leg portions 44 and 46 are seamlessly knitted to the panty portion 42 along the line 51.

Any body yarn with any denier suitable for footless pantyhose undergarment or shapewear can be used for anyone of the embodiments of this invention. However for a thinner undergarment, the body yarn should have a denier of 60 or less, e.g., 6.0 or 6.6 nylon with a denier of 60 or less. Thinner footless pantyhose are desirable because they allow the body to breath and move easier.

The panty portion 42 and the leg portions 44 and 46 have a common body yarn of about 40 denier nylon. As a result, the panty extends into the legs with the same thickness without any transition line to create a unity between the panty and the legs. Alternatively, the panty portion 42 can have a body yarn with a higher denier than the body yarn of the legs 44 and 46 to create opacity. In either case of the common body yarn or different body yams, each body yarn should have a denier in the range of about 60 or less. Alternatively, the panty portion 42 and the leg portions 44 and 46 can be made to be all sheer or all opaque and can be knitted with any stitch pattern.

To create a clinging effect in the footless pantyhose undergarment 40, elastic yarns with a denier of about 60 or less have been coupled with the body yarns of the panty portion 42 and leg portions 44 and 46. The clinging effect is a desirable feature because it causes the undergarment to stay in place during the body movement. However, the amount of elastic in yarns with a denier of about 60 or less is sufficiently low to create a relatively small amount of compressive force against the body of the wearer. In other words, the panty portion 42 and the leg portions 44 and 46 are non-control.

It should be noted that in this specification, the non-control embodiments either do not have elastic yarns or have elastic yams with a denier that is below the typical range used for control top or support pantyhose. Therefore, in this specification “non-control”, “without reinforcement” “without support”, shall all mean a type of pantyhose/footless pantyhose knitted either without elastic yams or with elastic yams having a denier of about 60 or less.

The panty portion 42 and the leg portions 44 and 46 have a common elastic yarn of about 40 denier spandex to create a uniform thin undergarment. The elastic yarn used for the panty portion 42 and the leg portions 44 and 46 can be the same or the panty portion 42 can have an elastic yarn with a different denier than the elastic yam used for the leg portions 44 and 46. However in both cases of the common elastic yarn or different elastic yams, each elastic yarn should have a denier of about 60 or less.

The elastic yarn is coupled with the body yarns of the panty and the legs at every other course. However, the elastic yam can be coupled with the body yam in any manner other than every other course. Furthermore, the elastic yarn used in different embodiments of this invention can be a covered elastic yarn or a bare elastic yarn.

Alternatively, the panty portion 42 can have an elastic yarn in addition to the body yarn, but the leg portions 44 and 46 can be made of only the body yarn without any additional elastic yarns. Yet in another embodiment, the panty portion 42 can be made of only the body yarn and the leg portions 44 and 46 can have an elastic yarn. In any of the embodiments, the elastic should have a denier of about 60 or less.

Depending on the design of the undergarment 40, there might be a need to use multiple types of elastic yarns with different deniers in each one of the panty portion, the leg portions, or in both the panty and the leg portions. In which case, the elastic yarn with the highest denier should have a denier of about 60 or less.

The present invention provides a comfortable solution with a clinging effect to eliminate panty lines.

It is well known in the industry that the best and preferred way to create control top pantyhose is to increase the denier of the elastic yarns. However, in some occasions, one might try to use a low denier elastic yarn and use high tension during stitching to create reinforced pantyhose.

It should be noted that in all the non-control embodiments of this invention, to keep the footless pantyhose as non-control, a tension of about 3 grams or less has been used.

The knitted-in waistband 48 has a high denier elastic yarn coupled with a body yarn during the knitting. The body yarn is a yarn such as 40 denier nylon and the elastic is a yarn such as 120 denier spandex. The high denier spandex causes the waistband and the pantyhose to stay in place while the wearer moves. If one desires, the knitted-in waistband can be replaced with an elastic band.

The leg bands 50 can be similar to the waistband or each can be an elastic band.

However, it should be noted that the footless pantyhose undergarment 40 can also be made with the leg band 60 which is described in detail in reference to FIG. 3 and the combination of the footless pantyhose 40 with the leg band 60 is shown as footless pantyhose 40′ in FIG. 5. The leg band 60, shown in FIG. 3, has a low denier elastic yarn to provide a clinging effect to the leg band to keep it in place. The footless pantyhose undergarment 40 can be combined with either the comfort leg band 60 to provide more comfort or it can be combined with grip and comfort leg band 60 to provide a more snug fit with comfort.

Knitted-In Leg Band

Referring to FIG. 3, there is shown an enlarged view of an alternative knitted-in leg band 60 partially lifted to expose the inside or the bottom layer 62. The knitted-in leg band 60 is a two-ply band made of a continuous segment which has been folded along the edge 64 and attached to each other along the line 66. The body yarn used in the leg band 60 is nylon with a denier of about 60 or less to create thin leg bands. However, it should be noted that any body yarn with any denier suitable for footless pantyhose or shapewear can also be used.

Contrary to the conventional practice of using high denier elastic yarns, such as 120 denier or higher spandex, the leg bands 60 of this invention are made of elastic yarns with a denier of about 60 or less to create a small amount of compressive force to reduce the indentation created by the leg bands on the wearer's legs and provide a comfortable feel for extended wear. Since the leg bands 60 have a low denier body yarn and lower denier elastic compared to conventional leg bands, they provide a thinner and softer feel, which is a very desirable feature for many women. For the purpose of clarity in this specification, the leg bands 60 with the elastic yarn of about 60 or less denier are called “comfort leg band 60.”

However, some women prefer a bit more snug fit, but still soft and comfortable feel.

For a more snug fit, the leg band 60 can have elastic yams with a denier of 60-80, which is still substantially less than the typical denier of 120 or higher, and therefore it can still provide a comfortable feel without the excess pressure. The snug fit of the leg bands 60 is much less tight compared to conventional leg bands. Therefore, the combination of the low denier body yarn with the snug fit provides a good grip with a comfortable feel. For the purpose of clarity in this specification the leg bands 60 with the elastic yarn of about 60 to 80 denier are called “grip and comfort leg band 60.”

It should be noted that the following alternative embodiments equally apply to the comfort leg band 60 and the grip and comfort leg band 60.

The outside or the top layer 68 and the bottom layer 62 can have a common elastic yarn or each can have an elastic yarn with a different denier. Alternatively, only either the top layer 68 or the bottom layer 62 has an elastic yarn. In another embodiment, the elastic yarn of the top layer 68 has a denier greater than the denier of the elastic yarn in the bottom layer 62.

Alternatively, either the top layer 68 or both the top layer 68 and the bottom layer 62 of the folded segment are knitted with the same stitch pattern, same body yarn, and same elastic yarn as the ones in the leg portion 65. In other words, the same stitch pattern and yarns of the leg portion continue into the knitted in leg band to create a uniform look between the top layer 68 and the leg portion 65. However, if one desires, the stitch pattern and the body yarn can be modified to create a different look or opacity on the leg band.

The bottom layer 62 can be knitted with any appropriate stitch pattern with or without an elastic yarn. To create a more comfortable leg band, each one of the elastic yarns used in the top layer 68 and the bottom layer 62 should have a denier equal or less than the denier of the elastic yarn used in the leg portion 65.

In the leg band 60 of FIG. 3, both the top and the bottom layers 68 and 62 have a common body yarn such as 40 denier nylon. Alternatively, the top layer 68 and the bottom layer 62 can have different body yarns. In either case of the common body yarn or different body yarns, the body yarn should have a denier in the range of about 60 or less. However, any body yarn with any denier suitable for footless pantyhose undergarment can also be used.

It is desirable to have a leg band 60 with a stretch factor similar to the stretch factor of the leg portions 65 to substantially reduce the indentations caused by the leg bands. Since the leg bands 60 have two layers, the stretch factor of each leg band is the combination of the stretch factors of the two layers. Therefore, the top and bottom layers together create a stretch factor for the leg band.

In order to create an approximately equal stretch factor between the stretch factor of the single layer leg 65 and the stretch factor of the two-ply leg band 60, the sum of the deniers of the elastic yarn of the top layer 68 and the elastic yarn of the bottom layer 62 should be substantially equal or less than the denier of the elastic yarn used in the leg portion 65. For example, if the elastic yarn of the leg portion 65 has a denier of 40, the top layer 68 can have an elastic yarn with a denier of 30 and the bottom layer 62 can have an elastic yarn with a denier of 10. Alternatively the top layer 68 can have an elastic yarn with a denier of 40 and the bottom layer 62 can be knitted without an elastic yarn.

It is also desirable to create a leg band 60 with the same thickness as the thickness of the leg portion 65 to create an even look between the leg potions 65 and the leg bands 60. Since the leg bands 60 have two layers, the thickness of each leg band 60 is the combination of thickness of the top layer 68 and the bottom layer 62.

Therefore, in order to create an approximately equal thickness between the leg bands 60 the leg portions 65, the sum of the deniers of the body yarn of the top layer 68 and the body yarn of the bottom layer 62 should be substantially equal or less than the denier of the body yarn used in the leg portions 65. For example, if the body yarn of the leg portion 65 has a denier of 40, the top layer 68 can have a body yarn with a denier of 30 and the bottom layer 62 can have a body yarn with a denier of 10 or alternatively each one of the top layer 68 and the bottom layer 62 can have a body yarn with a denier of 20.

It should also be noted that the leg band 60 can be made of different stitch patterns. For example the leg band can be a knitted-in welt or it can be made with any other stitch pattern such as jersey. Furthermore, the leg band 60 can be used to terminate any footless pantyhose leg with a raw edge regardless of the denier of the yarns used in the leg portion. In other words, the leg band 60 can be used with reinforced, non-control, sheer, or thick footless pantyhose leg. In this specification, a raw edge is defined as an edge where the knitting ends.

Referring to FIG. 4, there is shown the footless pantyhose undergarment 10′ which is the footless pantyhose 10 of FIG. 1 in combination with the leg band 60 of FIG. 3. Referring to FIG. 5, there is shown the footless pantyhose undergarment 40′ which is the footless pantyhose undergarment 40 of FIG. 2 in combination with the leg band 60 of FIG. 3. The same numerals depict the like elements in FIGS. 1, 2, 4, and 5.

It should be noted that both embodiments 10′ and 40′ can be combined with both comfort leg band 60 to provide a more comfortable feel or with the grip and comfort leg band 60 to provide a snug fit with comfort.

The footless pantyhose undergarment 10′ with comfort leg band 60 has the following yarn combinations: the panty portion and the leg portions have only stretch yarns with a denier of about 80 or less, and each layer of the leg band has an elastic yarn with a denier in the range of 60 or less.

The footless pantyhose undergarment 10′ with grip and comfort leg band 60 has the following yarn combinations: the panty portion and the leg portions have only stretch yarns with a denier of about 80 or less, and each layer of the leg band has an elastic yarn with a denier in the range of about 60 to about 80.

The footless pantyhose undergarment 40′ with comfort leg band 60 has the following yarn combinations: the panty portion, the leg portions, and each layer of the leg band has an elastic yarn with a denier in the range of 60 or less. Within the range of 60 or less, it is possible to have the elastic yarn of the panty to be higher than the elastic yarn in the legs. Although not necessary, it is desirable to keep the denier of the elastic yarns of each layer of the leg band substantially equal or less than the denier of the elastic yarn used in the leg portions to provide closer characteristics between the legs and the leg bands.

The footless pantyhose undergarment 40′ with grip and comfort leg band 60 has the following yarn combinations: the panty portion and the leg portions each has an elastic yarn with a denier of about 60 or less and each layer of the leg band has an elastic yarn with a denier in the range of about 60 to about 80.

It should be noted that all the alternative embodiments of the leg band 60 can equally be applied to the footless pantyhose undergarments 10′ and 40′.

It should also be noted that the footless pantyhose 10 and 10′ can be made with any body yarn with any denier suitable for footless pantyhose undergarment or shapewear. However, for a thinner undergarment, the body yarn should have a denier of about 60 or less.

It should further be noted that the elastic yarn used in all the embodiments of this invention is spandex. However any other type of elastic yarns can also be used.

In all the embodiments of this invention, 7 denier yarns can be used with microscopic knitting process to create a finer sheer effect.

The leg band 60 with all the above alternatives can also be applied to reinforced footless pantyhose undergarment, in which case the legs can have elastic yarns with a denier of above 60 to about 150.

Referring to FIG. 6, there is shown a footless reinforced pantyhose undergarment 70 with leg band 60 of FIG. 3 to provide softer and more comfortable feel. The panty portion 72 is seamlessly knitted to the two leg portions 74 and 76 along the line 71. The panty portion 72 ends at a waistband 78 and the leg portions 74 and 76 end at leg bands 60. The waistband 78 can be an elastic band, knitted-in welt, or can use any other knitting process which can create a terminating edge.

The panty portion 72 and the leg portions 74 and 76 have a common body yam of about 40 denier nylon. As a result, the panty extends into the legs with the same thickness without any transition line to create a unity between the panty and the legs. Alternatively, the panty portion 72 can have a body yarn with a higher denier than the body yarn of the legs 74 and 76 to create opaque panty and sheer legs. In either case of the common body yarn or different body yarns, the body yarns should have a denier in the range of about 80 or less. However, it should be noted that any body yarn with any denier suitable for a shapewear can also be used. For a thinner undergarment, the body yarn should have a denier of 60 or less. Alternatively, the panty and the legs can be made to be all sheer or all opaque and can be knitted with any type of stitch pattern.

The panty 72 has an 80 denier spandex and the legs 74 and 76 have a 40 denier spandex. The elastic yarn used for the panty portion 72 and the leg portions 74 and 76 can be the same or different. In the case of common elastic yarn, the elastic yarn should have a denier in the range of above 60 to about 150. Using a common elastic yarn in both the panty portion and the leg portions creates reinforced panty and reinforced legs. However, to keep the legs non-control, the legs can be made without elastic or can have an elastic yarn with a denier of about 60 or less.

The waistband 78 is a knitted-in welt made of a high denier elastic yarn such as 120 or higher denier spandex coupled with a body yarn such as nylon during the knitting process. The high denier spandex causes the waistband and the pantyhose to stay in place while the wearer moves. If one desires, the knitted-in waistband can be replaced with an elastic band. A crotch 79 may or may not be included.

The footless reinforced pantyhose undergarment 70 can be combined with both the comfort leg band 60 to provide a more comfortable feel for women who prefer a lighter clinging effect on the leg band.

The footless reinforced pantyhose 70 with reinforced panty portion, non-control leg portions, and comfort leg band 60 have the following yarn combinations: the panty portion has an elastic yarn with a denier of about 60 to about 150, the leg portions have an elastic yarn with a denier of about 60 or less, and each layer of the leg band has a denier in the range of 60 or less.

The footless reinforced pantyhose 70 with reinforced panty portion, reinforced leg portions, and comfort leg band 60 have the following yarn combinations: the panty portion has an elastic yarn with a denier of about 60 to about 150, the leg portions have an elastic yarn with a denier of about 60 to about 150, and each layer of the leg band has a denier in the range of 60 or less.

The comfort leg band 60 can be further modified to provide approximately equal stretch factor between the leg band and the leg portion. So, in the above two embodiments, the sum of the deniers of the elastic yarn in the top and bottom layers should be substantially equal or less than the denier of the elastic in the leg portions. In the same manner to provide approximately equal thickness as the one in the leg portion, the sum of the deniers of the body yarn in the top and bottom layers should be substantially equal or less than the denier of the body in the leg portions

The footless reinforced pantyhose undergarment 70 can also be combined with the grip and comfort leg band 60 to provide a snug fit with comfort for women who prefer a bit tighter grip on the leg bands.

The footless reinforced pantyhose 70 with reinforced panty portion, non-control leg portions, and grip and comfort leg band 60 have the following yarn combinations: the panty portion has an elastic yarn with a denier of about 60 to about 150, the leg portions have an elastic yarn with a denier of about 60 or less, and each layer of the leg band has a denier in the range of about 60 to about 80.

The footless reinforced pantyhose 70 with reinforced panty portion, reinforced leg portions, and grip and comfort leg band 60 have the following yarn combinations: the panty portion has an elastic yarn with a denier of about 60 to about 150, the leg portions have an elastic yarn with a denier of about 60 to about 150, and each layer of the leg band has a denier in the range of about 60 to about 80.

It should be noted that the above embodiments can be made with any body yarn with any denier suitable for footless pantyhose undergarment or shapewear. However, for a thinner undergarment, the body yarn should have a denier of about 60 or less.

Referring to FIG. 7, there is shown a footless pantyhose undergarment or shapewear 80 which does not have leg bands. The panty portion 82 is seamlessly knitted to two leg portions 84 and 86 along the line 81. The waistband 88 can be an elastic band, knitted-in welts, knitted-in bands, or can use any other knitting process which can create a terminating edge.

Conventional designs have an integrally knitted-in leg band knitted to each leg portion to finish the leg portion.

Departing from the conventional methods, the entire leg portions 84 and 86 of the undergarment 80 of FIG. 7 are made of two-ply segments. Each two-ply segment of the leg portions 84 and 86 is made of a tubular segment folded to create two plies and attached to each other where the legs connect to the panty portion along the line 81. In other words, the panty portion 82 has a single layer, but each leg portion 84 and 86 has two plies made of a folded tubular segment connected to the panty portion during the knitting process. The fold line 89 is where the leg portions end and therefore the leg portions 84 and 86 don't need leg bands. The folded segment can be made of jersey knit, knitted-in welt or any other stitch pattern.

In one embodiment, the footless pantyhose undergarment 80 is made with circular knitting process, which would create seamless legs 84 and 86 attached seamlessly to the panty portion 82.

Referring to FIG. 8, there are shown two tubular pantyhose blanks 90 and 92 which create the footless pantyhose undergarment 80 of FIG. 7. In FIGS. 7 and 8 the identical numerals depict the like elements. The tubular pantyhose blanks 90 and 92 each includes a panty segment 82 _(a) and 82 _(b) respectively and a leg segment shown as an unfolded segment 95 in the tubular pantyhose blank 90 and as a folded segment 86 in the tubular pantyhose blank 92. Each panty segment 82 _(a) and 82 _(b) is knitted to its respective leg segment, shown as an unfolded segment 95 and as a folded segment 86, as one piece in their respective pantyhose blanks.

The tubular panty segments 82 _(a) and 82 _(b) are slit and shown by U shapes 94. The two tubular panty segments 82 _(a) and 82 _(b) will be attached to each other along the U shapes 94 to create the panty portion 82 of FIG. 7. The tubular pantyhose blank 90 is shown as one ply. The edge 96 of each one of the tubular pantyhose blanks 90 and 92 will be pulled inside the tubular pantyhose blank and pulled up to create a folded segment with two plies. Once the edge 96 is pulled up all the way to line 81, as shown on tubular pantyhose blank 92, then it will be attached to the top layer along the line 81. This process creates a single layer panty 82 with two-ply legs 84 and 86, as shown in FIG. 7, and eliminates the need for any leg bands.

It should be noted that in each tubular pantyhose blank 90, the yarns can be changed in each segment. Therefore, in each tubular pantyhose blank 90 and 92, each panty portions 82 _(a) and 82 _(b) can have its own body yarn and elastic yarns and each segment 93 and 97 which represent the top and bottom layers respectively of each leg portion can have its own body yarn and elastic yarn. For example panty portion 82 a can have a first body yarn and a first elastic yarn. Segment 93 which is to the top layer of the leg portion 84 can have a second body yarn and a second elastic yarn while segment 97 can have a third body yarn and a third elastic yarn. However, the identical segments in each tubular pantyhose blank should be kept the same to create symmetrical pantyhose.

The footless pantyhose 80 of FIG. 7 eliminates the need for leg bands and as a result, eliminates the problems associated with leg bands such as indentation and uneven thickness created by conventional leg bands.

Referring back to FIG. 7, it should be noted that alternatively, the two-ply legs 84 and 86 can also be made of two separate pieces that are connected to each other and then connected to the panty portion.

Alternatively, the crotch section can be made as a separate piece from a cotton yarn or with a cotton lining to eliminate the need for wearing a panty. Yet a crotch may or may not be included.

The embodiment of FIG. 7 can be used for dual purposes. One purpose would be to provide comfort and the second would be to provide reinforcement for slimming down in which case either the panty portion or both the panty and the leg portions will be reinforced.

In the non-control embodiment, the panty portion 82 and the leg portions 84 and 86 each has a body yarn of about 80 or less denier nylon. However, any body yarn with any denier suitable for footless pantyhose undergarment can also be used. The body yarns of the panty portion 82 and the leg portions 84 and 86 can be the same or can be different. In addition, elastic yarns can be coupled with the body yarn of the panty portion 82 and/or the leg portions 84 and 86. However, the elastic yarn with the highest denier should have a denier of about 60 or less.

In the reinforced embodiment, the panty 82 and the leg portions 84 and 86 each has a body yarn of about 80 or less denier nylon. However, any body yarn with any denier suitable for footless pantyhose undergarment can also be used. The body yams of the panty portion 82 and the leg portions 84 and 86 can be the same or can be different.

In addition, in the reinforced embodiment, high denier elastic yarns are coupled with the body yarn of at least the panty portion 82 to create the footless control top pantyhose undergarment 80. The elastic yarns, used to create reinforcement should have a denier of above 60 to about 150. The leg portions 84 and 86 can have the same elastic yarn as the one in the panty portion 82 or can have an elastic yarn with a lower or higher denier. If the same elastic yarn is used in both panty portion 82 and the leg portions 84 and 86 or if an elastic yarn with a higher denier than the one in the panty portion is used in the leg portions, the leg portions 84 and 86 will be reinforced. To create non-control legs the elastic yarn used in the leg portions should have a denier of about 60 or less.

The panty 82 and leg portions 84 and 86 can be designed to have different opacity. The panty and the legs can be all sheer or all opaque. Alternatively, the panty portion can be opaque and the legs can be sheer or visa versa.

To provide an approximately equal stretch factor between the panty portion and the leg portions, the sum of the deniers of the elastic yarns used in each layer of the two-ply leg portion should be equal or less than the denier of the elastic yarn used in the panty portion.

To provide an approximately equal thickness between the panty portion and the leg portions, the sum of the deniers of the body yarn used in each layer of the two-ply leg portion should be equal or less than the denier of the body yarn used in the panty portion.

It should be noted in this specification, the terms “control”, “support”, and “reinforced” have been used interchangeably and they all mean a pantyhose made with elastic yarns having a denier of above 60 to about 150.

In one embodiment, the body yarn used for the panty portion 82 is about 40 denier and the body yarn used for the legs is about 30. However, any body yarn suitable for a shapewear can also be used.

Referring to FIG. 9, due to the changes in fashion, the waistline of clothes move up and down. In any of the above embodiments 10, 10′, 40, 40′, 70 and 80, the panty portions 12, 42, 72 and 82 (shown by 112 in FIG. 9) can be designed to have the waistband 18, 48, 78 and 88 (shown by 118 in FIG. 9) end somewhere from above the waistline 100 to below the waistline 102. In the same manner, the leg bands 20, 40, 50, 60, and the fold line 89 (shown by 120 in FIG. 8) can be designed to terminate anywhere from above the knee 104 to anywhere below the knee 106.

It should be noted that numerous changes in details of construction, combination, and arrangement of elements may be resorted to without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. 

1. A knitted-in band for terminating a footless pantyhose leg comprising: a first layer; a second layer; the first and second layers together having a first stretch factor; and the pantyhose leg having a second stretch factor, wherein the first stretch factor is approximately equal to the second stretch factor.
 2. The knitted-in band of claim 1, wherein the first layer comprises a first elastic yarn with a first denier, the second layer comprises a second elastic yarn with a second denier, and the pantyhose leg comprises a third elastic yarn with a third denier.
 3. The knitted-in band of claim 2, wherein the sum of the first denier and the second denier is substantially equal or less than [to] the third denier.
 4. A knitted-in band for terminating a footless pantyhose leg comprising: a first layer; a second layer; the first and second layers together having a first thickness; and the pantyhose leg having a second thickness, wherein the first thickness is approximately equal to the second thickness.
 5. The knitted-in band of claim 4, wherein the first layer comprises a first body yarn with a first denier, the second layer comprises a second body yarn with a second denier, and the pantyhose leg comprises a third body yarn with a third denier.
 6. The knitted-in band of claim 5, wherein the sum of the first denier and the second denier is substantially equal or less than [to] the third denier.
 7. A knitted-in band for terminating footless pantyhose leg comprising: a first layer; a second layer; the first layer of the knitted-in band comprising a first elastic yarn with a first denier; the second layer of the knitted-in band comprising a second elastic yarn with a second denier; wherein each one of the first denier and second denier is about 80 or less.
 8. The knitted-in band of claim 7, wherein each one of the first denier and second denier is about 60 to about
 80. 9. The knitted-in band of claim 7, wherein each one of the first denier and second denier is about 60 or less.
 10. The knitted-in band of claim 7, wherein the footless pantyhose leg comprises a third elastic yarn with a third denier.
 11. The knitted-in band of claim 10, wherein the sum of the first denier and the second denier is substantially equal or less than [about] the third denier.
 12. The knitted-in band of claim 7 further comprises a first body yarn in the first [top] layer and a second body yarn in the second layer with each body yarn having a denier of 60 or less.
 13. The knitted-in band of claim 7, wherein the sum of the denier of the first and second yarns is about 60 or less.
 14. A knitted-in band for terminating a footless pantyhose leg comprising: a first layer; a second layer; the first layer of the knitted-in band comprising a first yarn with a first denier; the second layer of the knitted-in band comprising a second yarn with a second denier; and the pantyhose leg comprising a third yarn with a third denier, wherein each one of the first and second deniers is equal or less than the third denier.
 15. The knitted-in band of claim 14, wherein the first yarn and the second yarn are elastic yarns.
 16. The knitted-in band of claim 15, wherein each one of the first denier and second denier is about 80 or less.
 17. The knitted-in band of claim 15, wherein the sum of the first denier and the second denier is substantially equal or less than [to] the third denier.
 18. The knitted-in band of claim 14, wherein the first, second, and the third yarns are body yarns.
 19. The knitted-in band of claim 18, wherein the sum of the first denier[s] and the second denier is substantially equal to or less than the third denier.
 20. A knitted-in band for terminating a footless pantyhose leg comprising: a first layer; a second layer; only one of the first and second layers of the knitted-in band comprising a first elastic yarn with a first denier; and the pantyhose leg comprising a second yarn with a second denier, wherein the first denier is equal or less than the second denier. 